


Dangerous Games

by WildRedRose14



Category: Fable (Video Games), Fable 3 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-02
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-04 00:57:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 14,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/704619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WildRedRose14/pseuds/WildRedRose14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a LoganXprincess fanfic...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Logan's Burdan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan's Burdan

I know how the world saw me.  
Cruel. Vicious. Without mercy. 

But they don't know what I really am; Beyond anything else, the one thing which dogged me. 

I was tired. 

So damn tired. 

Tired in body, collapsing asleep when studying strategies, my eyelids heavy & drooping. 

But tired in soul & mind as well, I had seen so much death & suffering, I just wanted it to stop. To crawl into a bed, go to sleep & never wake up again. To die now would almost be better than living. 

But I don't have that choice. The public scorns me & so push me to harm them. I couldn't show the remorse which caused me to weep in private, I couldn't admit that the hundreds of deaths I had ordered were heavy in my mind, because all of the people in Albion were my responsibility. Every beggar, every child & mother & whore, could be saved by me. 

Or they could all die horrifically. 

The dark corners of my mind started to rise up again, that moving, taunting darkness that had killed all of my men; reminding me of their final screams in that endless labyrinth of caves deep in the pits of the Earth. Surely that was Hell.......

And now it had risen & I had to protect my Kingdom. To make mother proud and do what she did, save every-one, no matter what the cost. 

And then of course there was my sister; my sweet, naive, little sister. Walter had stolen her away in the dead of night & now she was out there some-where, in the middle of Avo knows what trouble. 

My poor little Hecate, she had no idea what she was doing, but she was doing it well anyway. 

For the first time in months I felt my mouth curve into a small smile. But it was swiftly followed by the usual sadness & heart-ache as old memories of me reading the tiny child in a little marigold nightie stories of warriors & princesses & monsters & tyrants. 

And now the little princess was the warrior.  
And her big brother the Tyrant & what she feared was the Monster.  
And the Tyrant wept at his own life as he once again was reminded of a glittering past which had faded away. 

And all was left was the Darkness.


	2. Soap & Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Princess Hecate remembers her loss, oblivious to what she is to lose in the future...

Elsewhere, what seemed a world away from the stately Castle; a young, grimy young lady climbed into a bath & sighed as the hot water soothed her tense & aching muscles in an ugly little back-room in Industrial. She shut her eyes & a smile crept onto her lips at this rare delight.

No-one could have guessed that this woman was their Princess until recently when she had staked her claim as Saviour of the People; pleasing crowds & saving lives.   
Never could the Princess have dreamed that her life would change so rapidly. Her heart ached slightly as she remembered how it had all started to fall apart. 

Logan. 

Her eyes flew open to remind her where she was. And where he was. And what he had done.   
Bitter tears slid down her face & into the bath. 

Her big brother, who made her laugh & always made time to be with her. Her hero, her only relative, the only one who truly knew her. 

But then he came back with a new attitude, a new scar, & a new dark look in his eyes.   
And he had stopped making time for her, and been even more protective of her. He had locked her out of rooms & been snappy. The old Logan she had loved seemed to have gone.

She sobbed as she remembered learning of all he had done, the executions, told to her by her best friend, her only real child hood friend. 

And now he was dead because of Logan. 

What had happened to him?! How could he be doing this?! All the suffering she had seen on the filthy streets had shattered her already broken heart & she knew then & there that she had to stop him. No matter what.

She rinsed her face again clambered out of the tub & dried off, coveting this clean feeling as she knew that tomorrow she had to go see Page in those disgusting sewers.

What the Princess didn't know, was that tomorrow she would meet a man who many feared, envied, & lusted after. 

Tomorrow, she would meet Reaver.


	3. Fun and Games...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yup, Logan was at the party....

The next evening Logan was storming down the halls of his castle, servants scurrying away from him in fear. He burst into the war room & stared at the map-table which stared back at him mockingly.

He had just heard that not only was his little sister still fighting with the Revolutionaries, she was going to go to one of Reaver's "parties" with their idealistic fluff-brained Leader, Page. 

Sweet Avo, she had no idea what she was walking into!!!!  
He shut his eyes & heard her laugh as she ran away from him squealing in the garden, she was so young. Then their mother walked onto the terraces, smiling at their games. The Hero every-one raved about, every-thing they claimed Logan was not. 

Every-thing they claimed that his sister was.......  
Perhaps it was true. It would make sense after all......

He shook his head & massaged his weary eyes, one thing at a time. His sweet virgin sister was about to run headlong into the Lion's den unknowingly.   
Avo knows what Reaver would do to her.....

He didn't like Reaver but he didn't have to. He found the money to build up his army, so he looked away from his.....deviances. 

But not Hecate. 

He would NOT let him have Hecate. 

There was only one thing for it. To prevent scandal or further bloodshed, he would have to go to this abomination of a Ball & try to keep an eye on his wilful sibling. It was a masked Ball, so he wouldn't be recognized....... damn Walter for stealing Hecate away! She would have been safe in the castle, and now he had to save her from an insane sex-addict. Bloody perfect......

Later that night Logan stole out of the castle in a more than undignified dark blue costume, a silver mask adorned with gold trim hiding his face. 

He was greeted by that insufferable servant that scurried after Reaver like some will-broken puppy.   
"My name is Bawwy Hatch, this way to see Mastah Weaver......" The ginger butler lisped as he bowed low & held the door open for the new guest.  
He cringed at the sight before him. Suffice to say that blood, wine, & all sorts of other liquids that Logan did not like to think about stained the first room he walked into so he kept his eyes fixed firmly to the back of Barry's head. The noises of groaning, giggling & merry-making filled the next room & Barry opened the door dramatically revealing a group of scantily-clad masked noble people encircling something. 

They looked up & stared at the new-comer. Logan's well-tuned senses knew that something was wrong here, despite all the debauchery, something else......something much more sinister. 

But before he could ponder further the crowd parted & what they were circling was revealed.   
Reaver sat on a chair smiling a perfectly mischievous crooked smile. The smile of a charmer & a liar as Logan's mother had once said, despite the fact that Logan had a similar smile, if you were ever graced enough to see it. 

Hovering over Reaver were two barely dressed girls whose clothes were see-through & a young boy was draped over his shoulders. Logan tried not to react, what else had he expected?  
Reaver muttered to the boy throatily & the boy's eyes were hooded with lust. Then Reaver turned, shifted a touch in his seat & inspected his new guest.   
"You're late......." Reaver mused, his husky voice coating every word in far too sweet honey. ".......you have missed a lot of the fun."

From the state of the house Logan wished he had arrived even later.   
"But never mind, the real fun is about to begin! We have some special guests tonight who have just arrived!" He stood dramatically & the groupies wandered out of a door whilst the others walked silently behind Reaver. These guests.........Logan joined them, but once again, something told him that something wasn't right here. But what.......?  
Barry ran ahead of the group & flung open some double-doors & Reaver walked up to some railings ahead. Logan noticed a cage hanging beyond them. They were on a balcony......a man moaned in the cage; he looked terrified & very ill. 

He glanced down & could see a wheel from where he was & all those nasty rumours of Reaver's "games" buzzed in his head. But then he noticed that there were two woman in the middle of the room below. 

A dark-skinned woman & another one, both very attractive in their outfits admittedly.   
"Welcome, one and all!" Reaver announced all too happily.   
"Welcome to you Page, Leader of the "Revolution".......and my, my.......a rare treat indeed......"  
Logan studied these two and his heart sunk. Avo no.....!!!

Reaver leaned forwards, like an animal straining for something it wants.   
"Our very own, very curvy Princess!!!"   
The guests laughed cold, mirthless laughter that echoed hollowly in Logan's ears as he watched the woman throw away their masks. 

He could barely believe it. 

It was. 

His Hecate stood, now brandishing a blackened, intricate looking Katana, below him. 

Reaver's smile damn near cracked his face in two,  
"Let the games begin!"


	4. ...'till it all Ends in Tears.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I love Bawwy.

Logan stood, staring at his little sister, who he had known his entire life but only now was seeing what she had turned into. 

When had he looked away? 

When had he stopped noticing her growing so?

The small, fragile child he had known & loved was now staring balefully at Reaver, who was still smirking like a demon, her muscles tense waiting for a surprise attack. 

Avo she grown. Her long legs where spread, in a fighting stance, her hair was tied back practically but rebellious tendrils escaped close to her face. Logan hated to admit it, but some little part of his male brain admired his sister, Reaver was right, she WAS curvy.  
Page stood next to her, scimitar out as well, shouting curses at him. 

Logan knew he was zoning out, so pulled his shirt down & focused.   
"......so you may leave if you survive my Wheel of Misfortune." Reaver finished a sentence Logan had been failing to listen to.

Page screamed further curses but Reaver guffawed & spun the wheel.   
"Hobbes." He said. "Not exactly exciting but a classic......."   
Barry led the party through into a sort of coliseum.   
What sort of sick......?!

Logan watched in growing horror as Hecate, or as he liked to call her, Cat, edged into the ring, followed closely by Page. 

He looked about, his hand resting on the handle of his pistol just in case.   
Barry's voice echoed around the room, an announcer?!   
"Ladies & gentleman....the fight we have all been DYING fow........FWEE THE HOBBES!!!" 

The hideous little monsters leapt out from various arches & Page instantly let loose some shots from her pistol. Hecate suddenly ran into the middle of the room, the Hobbes closing in on her. 

What the hell was she doing?! Stupid girl was going to kill herself!!!

But then he noticed she was moving, holding her hands up.....what-?!  
Just as the Hobbes were in attacking distance flames & bolts of lightning danced roaring & sparking across the floor surrounding her, & the Hobbes jerked & screamed as they died.   
"Those Hobbes ah wavar cute.......wiv their big mouths. I luv big mouths.......nay, I RECQUIRE a big mouth!" Barry announced happily. "On wiv the second phase."  
Logan stood, mouth hanging open. 

Cat knew magic. That was......  
Incredible.  
That little voice whispered in the corner of his head.  
Bad. His usual self said. Or good. He really didn't know. 

But it did confirm one thing.   
She was a Hero. Like their late mother & Queen.......she was a Hero. 

Before he could think he was herded into the main chamber again & then led off into another room. He watched, in a daze, as his not-so-little sister leapt & twirled between enemies, slicing them down, hurling fireballs this way & that. He followed the group from room to room as she cut down anything & everything that Reaver's Wheel had sent her way.

This wasn't the little girl he had known.   
The little girl had skinny little chicken legs, not these long smooth toned ones that carried this warrior about in so agile a manner, her face was small & round, with freckles that speckled her nose in the summer time. Staring into the face of the woman now, as she stood defiantly at Reaver in the centre on the main chamber again, he could see that the features were similar, but it hurt a little to see that he had missed something. He had missed seeing the little girl, turn into.....this. 

Reaver was smiling, but the way he played with his cane was most disturbing. Logan also noticed the servant, Barry, attempting to charm a displeased looking guest. He looked back down.

Page & the princess stood, their clothes slightly torn, slightly covered in blood, but alive & uninjured it seemed. But they were still as mad as hell.   
"Enough games Reaver!!!" Page snarled.   
Reaver tilted his head ever-so-slightly, his glossy ebony locks shifting with the movement.   
"Yes....yes, very well then. You have been most entertaining, & my guests have enjoyed you both very much I am sure. But now, they have the opportunity to enjoy you even more......"

Logan felt that twinge of unease explode into full-blown panic as the guests around him started to twist beneath their clothes, joints cracking, and hair sprouting forth as they flung away their masks & their eyes became glowing amber coals. 

He flung himself away from the monsters & watched with his back pressed firmly against the wall, to avoid detection, as the beautiful young woman Barry had so desperately tried to bed mutated into a huge, terrifying white Balverine & turned on him viciously. 

He survived a few minutes but eventually his screaming stopped. 

Reaver raised his hands & the Balverines surged forward, climbing over the railing & scrambling over the walls on all fours. Logan stepped forward, Reaver didn't seem to notice him as he watched his "guests" circled the two women growling menacingly, watching for weaknesses. 

The woman stood back to back, watching & waiting with gritted teeth for the beasts to start the inevitable assault. 

Logan drew his pistol & aimed it at the Balverine nearest to his sister. He waited & expertly lined it up to the foul things head when movement to his right shocked him. His head snapped round & saw that the body of Barry Hatch was twitching.   
What in the name of Avo-?!  
The body started to convulse violently & he sat up, virtually vibrating.   
And odd, keening noise came from him & Logan turned to face this new threat. 

Long, dark ginger fur spread over his body & before Logan knew it, he was facing a very large, rather pissed off Barry-Balverine.   
Shit. 

He instinctively brought his pistol up but Barry moved with the swiftness of his new body & tackled him into the room behind the balcony. 

Further away from Hecate. 

Logan could hear the sounds of a battle going on through there.   
Hecate was in so much danger......

His heart beat faster & he felt his blood boil. After everything, she was NOT going to die here.

He stood & drew his own sword with a snarl to rival the Balverine's & moved, taking the beast by surprise & slicing at his fore-leg. Barry jumped back & bared his teeth; a long, surprisingly pale pink tongue hung out from the corner of its mouth. Logan also noticed that the creature still had those gaudy large gold earrings in one of its now over-large ears.   
He faced the creature as he had faced so many monsters before as the sound of gunshots, steal clashes, & fire were raging in the other room.

He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly & gritted his teeth in determination. 

Nothing was going to keep him from his sister. 

Nothing.

Then the monster lunged.


	5. Fighting, Flirting, & Flames

Logan dropped down & brought his sword up in one smooth movement, feeling it catch the underside of the ex-human as he sailed over his head. 

He turned & saw the beast touch its stomach, look at its hand, now covered in blood, & hiss in pain & anger. Logan readied himself for the next attack but then the Balverines large ears twitched & its head turned, distracted. 

Logan was about to take this opportunity to plunge his sword into the vile things heart but then he noticed it too. 

The noises had stopped. 

No war-cries, no gunshots, nothing.

He felt his stomach twist & churn. Hecate could be.....  
The silence lingered for a moment when it was broken by the sound of a slow, loud applause. 

The Balverine noticed Logan's distraction & took this moment to flee through a side door. Logan had no interest in pursuing it. He stood, rooted to the spot, his heart burning with the horrible fear that he had failed to save his sister.   
"Well done, well done indeed my dears......" Reaver crooned hotly, "Although it was a little rude of you to not only crash my party, but massacre all of my lovely guests."

Logan moved as if in a day-dream, still gripping his sword. He stopped at the door-way & saw his sister & Page standing in the middle of the floor, surrounded by blood, Balverine bodies, scorch marks, scratches, & all the hail marks of a battle only a Hero could win. 

Logan breathed deeply staring at his sister, his heart going at a hundred miles per hour.   
Alive. 

His sister was alive, & a Hero, and strong, & didn't need him, & was no longer a girl.......so different.......could she love him still? Could she understand now she was older? Could he tell her everything? The darkness? Their mother? Could he-?  
His frantic thoughts were cut short by a sound he had sorely missed. 

Hecate's voice.  
"Sorry for the inconvenience." Her voice was different too; confident, powerful, authoritive, with that hint of constant sarcasm that Logan knew all too well. It had been aimed his way more than once.  
Reaver laughed throatily at this.   
"So witty you are my Princess......."   
Logan couldn't see his face from here but he could hear the change in tone. And he didn't like it one bloody bit.   
"I would offer that you two could come up here to join me, so we could get to know each other better......"

Logan had to physically hold himself back from stabbing the slimy little bastard in the back repeatedly so he ground his teeth almost painfully. 

What worried Logan more was the quick flash of confusion & blushing that appeared on his little sisters face before Page stepped forward.  
"After all you have just done?! You crazy pervert!!! I swear we will get you eventually! We will end your schemes, just as we will end Logan's reign of terror!!!" 

The Princesses face wobbled.   
Just once, but Logan saw it true enough. What must she think of him? He shook as the adrenaline started to wear off & all those damn emotions threatened to overwhelm him again.   
"Shame....." Reaver exhaled. "You are both beautiful specimens......so strong & agile....oh, the things I could do with you......"  
"Come down here & say that to my face...." The princess twirled her sword & smiled devilishly.   
Reaver laughed again, an eyebrow crooked as he paused, possibly actually considering this.   
"Perhaps another time majesty, I am sure you & your companion would want to leave now. I will not stop you if that is your wish." 

The Princess opened her mouth for what was obviously going to be another retort, but Page grabbed her wrist & pulled her a little to get her away. Reaver watched them leave & Logan decided that now was a good time to leave also.   
If Reaver discovered that he had been at one of his parties then there would be no end to it.....

He slowly backed away & then ran as soon as he thought he was out of ear-shot from the twisted man he had allied himself with. He ran out & then stopped dead as the cold night air hit him & he noticed Page & his sister walking from the Mansion.   
He felt the most stupid urge to run to her right now and-

And what?

Steal her away? Lock her up? Tell her everything? Fall to his knees & beg forgiveness? or simply kill her as a traitor & never have to be a slave to his damn emotions?  
He looked at her now, standing in the moonlight, in a torn, blood-stained dress, and he swore she had never looked so beautiful; her pale skin glowing in the silvery light, her face reasonably calm & composed, her eyes half-lidded. He shook himself. These were perfectly innocent thoughts; so why this guilt that accompanied these simple observations?

They started to move away & he stayed still, knowing that there was nothing he could, or would, do to her. They swayed of together, but just as he was about to move, Hecate's head turned, just slightly in his direction, her eyes fixed on him. 

Suddenly he panicked. 

The man who had survived the pits of Darkness & thousands of battles where he had made snap decisions that had saved lives; he who had trained himself never to lose composure, to be calm, logical, & above all, never to freeze up, froze up.  
His eyes widened, how could she have possibly seen him?! Perhaps she hadn't.....perhaps she had merely heard a noise. Perhaps.....

She turned ahead again & he stood frozen until they were both out of sight.  
He walked back to the castle slowly & slid inside just as he heard the noises of servants waking. He entered his bedroom & felt a surge of tiredness; he turned & promptly burned the indecent clothes he had worn. He was about to throw his mask on too but something made him pause. He ran his long, slender fingers over the masks elaborate designs & watched the flames destroy the blue silk rags. He turned away from them & slammed the mask into a drawer before collapsing naked onto his bed & falling asleep almost immediately. 

The last thing he saw was the flames in his fireplace still dancing madly, which reminded him of Cat, twisting & swirling between enemies as he watched. She was playing in the fire, untouchable & powerful. 

Logan reached out through the flames & tried to reach her, ignoring the burning pain as the fire scorched his pale skin, peeling it away; wanting to touch her, hug her, tell her that he still cared. 

She smiled, her eyes burning into him, & faded into the darkness as the flames died. 

And they both fell into the Darkness together.


	6. Bedside Manner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who else could sense nakedness?

The typical view of an Angel, in most cultures, seems to be a being with long, curly golden locks, a long white robe, and an unnaturally beautiful face, smooth skin, indescribable eyes; An elegant, ethereal creature that a human is blessed to see, blessed to be cared for if they are lucky enough to see their Guardian. 

The daughter of the last great Hero had a Guardian Angel too. But hers was more Demon than Angel. Slicked back raven hair, deathly pale skin blemished by scars, dark, hooded eyes filled with hidden pains, a broken creature that knew now that he only lived for two things. 

To try and save Albion. 

To protect the last thing he could love, and would possibly love him. 

The first one was a lie. Demons do that, they lie. Did angels? Would they tell you if they did?  
He knew he had to protect people, he felt it his duty. Who else would?   
But there was only one thing now that he would risk his life for. 

Logan slept deeply & dreamt. 

He was a teenager again.   
His mother, who he respected & loved more than any-one in this world, and told him something that felt like a blow to the stomach. He was winded & his inside churned. It wasn't true.....couldn't be.   
But he knew in one horrible moment that it was. It all made sense.  
His mother had hugged him & taken him onto the terrace. Hecate, her loose hair bouncing as she ran shrieking, playing tag with her friend Elliot, waved. All innocence & unconditional love & admiration of her brother.   
Logan cried in his sleep as the last words he had ever said to his only parent replayed in his head.   
"She needs you Logan." Her words soft & comforting even though they held such a terrible meaning.  
He looked up at her, sensing that some-thing was wrong. He was use to politicians lying all the time, being so young they always tried to hide things from him.  
"......what's wrong? What aren't you telling me?"  
She had smiled, so warmly, tears gathering in her eyes.   
"There's my smart little boy." She pushed his now far too long hair out of his eyes. "I have to go away."   
Logan opened his mouth but the words choked & he was crying before his mind really knew why. He clung to her tightly.   
"I love you." He sobbed into her dress, or was it a duvet?   
"I know my brave little soldier, I know. And I will always, ALWAYS, love you and Hecate. No matter what." Two days later, the royal children, were the royal orphans.

Logan, now 16, sat studying hard as Walter had directed. Soon to be King, he worked tirelessly to try & make his mother proud. He felt a tugging at his shirt. He looked down to see the big, shining eyes of his sister. He pulled up a smaller chair for her wordlessly & she sat happily by his side. Eventually, inevitably, she got bored & started to play with her brother's hair.   
"Cat, I'm trying to work......." he grumbled.  
She sang some song as she played. He eventually gave up & turned to face her. She pulled his hair away from his face, back-combing it.   
"Aw come on sis, mum wanted my hair all neat like that, surely you don't like it?"  
She beamed happily at him.   
"Very nice." She nodded. 

Years later & the boy who had taken everything on his shoulders was crowned but hated all the politics. He became a brave soldier, excellent strategist. Logical, calm, controlled. Such great promise the public buzzed.....such potential. Such great plans he had set, so inspired. A strong speaker, authoritative even for his young age.

Then everything fell apart again. He knew that his world was dark. Responsibilities, tough decisions, fighting, war, no family but the one he cared for. But he could deal with that. People had worse lives, people had better lives. But none had had to see what he had seen. The monster that dwelled in the cave. 

Hecate would visit like usual, so unknowing. So care-free. He didn't want her to have to deal with what he did. He wanted her to be a spoiled princess. Pretty ball-gowns & too many shoes. He doted upon her, though he doubted that she noticed. She would sometimes ask what was wrong but what could he say to her? 

Images of her fighting again bloomed into his mind, & his mother's words also. 

Logan awoke with a jolt & sat up, his hair a tousled mess, flopping into his eyes. He brushed it away & found tears. He wiped them away, with the remains of his dreams as well. 

Logan looked up & stared straight down the barrel of a gun. 

"Good morning sleeping Beauty!!!" A way too calm & husky voice chirruped. 

Oh. Shit.


	7. Good Morning~!

Logan followed the barrel of the gun to its wielder, who was leaning on the end of his bed, head propped up on one arm, staring at him and smiling like the maniac he was. 

Logan leaned out of his bed & frantically pulled on some discarded underpants under the duvet whilst scowling evilly at the trespasser who tilted his head playfully, his perfect teeth shining in the morning gloom as the sunshine was blocked by thick, red curtains.   
"Asshole...." Logan growled as he knocked the pistol away irritable. 

Reaver laughed throatily, throwing his head back, his ebony curls tousling as he did so.   
"Oh you should have seen your face!!! It was perfect!!! .....though it was a shame you felt it necessary to dress. More work for me..." He arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow suggestively.  
".....I am in no mood to play. How the hell did you even get in here?! I know I locked the door....."

Reaver perched on the edge of the bed, smug. The way he played with his pistol was unnerving though.....   
"I came in an hour ago....perhaps more...perhaps less.........it is difficult to tell when you are hiding under a bed....."  
"You've been under my bed?!" Logan was astounded. His guards, servants & even he himself had failed to notice the intruder. He made a mental note to tighten security a thousand-fold. 

The man shrugged lazily & that smile never faulted.   
"I have slept in odder places....I remember once I had had to escape into a-"  
"Reaver. Get out." Logan sat up & massaged his temples, wiping sleep from his eyes.   
"Oh dear.....have I hurt your feelings?" He teased in a mock-caring voice.   
"No, you're pissing me off. We can talk later...I am sure you have some unspeakable act to commit elsewhere....wait.....ARE YOU NAKED?!" Logan suddenly was very awake.  
"Well....when you say naked...." Reaver clearly was going to start one of his long lectures.  
"Revear.....for the love of Avo at least put some trousers on...." he continued muttering. Reaver did so begrudgingly & Logan looked away as he did so.  
"Ah Logan...so uptight."  
"Keep what you do not know to yourself." Logan hissed, which both men knew was from hatred from not being able to kill Reaver there & then. He hated being allied to this infuriating monster who tormented so many.   
Logan smoothed back his hair, the left over gel making it reasonably easy to keep neat even though he felt like he needed to wash. He stretched & noticed that Reaver had been silent for some time. 

Reaver watched as the slim man sat up further & stretched, the duvet falling to his naval loosely. He admired as Logan's muscles rippled & stared as the duvet was shuffled enough for him to see a gracious amount of treasure trail......he quickly savoured seeing him partially naked, looking over his body, seeing a few scars here & there. What he could do....what he wanted to do.......he felt his blood pulse & he licked his lips, feeling them tingle as his nerves started to buzz with anticipation. 

What risks would he take to try & bed this man....this extraordinary man? His King......most likely his first man as well.......Reaver spent most of his days building up his fortune & gambling it away happily. Every-day he gambled for the thrill....with his life, his money, his lovers.....nothing was sacred & there were few to none boundaries. 

He knew that he wanted Logan.....but the way he had protected his little sister had admittedly stirred a coveting lust he had not had in many years. If he wanted something, he would get it, by charm, or money, or force.......

The first time he had seen the princess, she was barely a woman (not that that particularly bothered Reaver, but it was an avid description none the less) but any man could see the potential, especially when she was dressed in such flattering gowns. She had crept in nervously & was whispering to her brother, giggling, & that was also one of the few times Reaver had seen Logan smile, though he hid it behind his hand subtly. They were so different, Reaver had thoughts but mostly they were of putting them together in various places with various things.......himself always aiding them, as it were. 

Such a feat was a new goal of Reaver's, though his plans had been rather upset by the current political climate, there was always hope......

The King sighed & was now looking into his eyes, presumably having noticed him staring hungrily.   
One thing Reaver liked about Logan was that unlike many, he did not shy from Reaver, or back down in the least. In fact, it often made him puff up like an angry tom cat attempting to instil his authority. It made Reaver want to make him more angry...see what he would do.....he sometimes even wanted to break him, see what lurked beneath his cold composure. Depended how Reaver felt at that moment, that is. 

Logan looked up to see Reaver staring at him with the intensity of a tiger staring at its next meal.   
"....what could be so important Reaver that this cannot wait?!" He growled, disliking having a sex-crazed killer sitting on the edge of his bed, who still hadn't put away his pistol.   
"A party of mine was ruined last night......" Reaver told him, watching virtually unblinkingly, for a reaction. Logan's face didn't change from annoyed boredom.   
"Shame. Get out."  
"Hear me out......your sister was there....." Reaver treaded carefully. Logan gave him a glare.   
"Why?" He said sharply, still no sign that he was the possible mysterious guest who failed to turn.   
Well.....one way to find out.....

Reaver's face split in two, a huge, lusty grin.   
"She came to me after the party.....after leaving with a friend & then returning."  
Logan had no idea if Reaver was lying but he hoped to Avo he was......  
Reaver had no idea if Logan was buying this bullshit....but, a couple of hundred years of practise makes a mediocre liar into a master.   
"Why did she return?" Reaver noticed that Logan's voice was strained, just slightly.   
He had him.   
"For certain....expertise I have."  
"Reaver, explain yourself NOW damn it." Logan's cool was lost. 

Reaver smiled & leaned forwards slowly.   
"I had sex with your little sister, the Princess, & it was-"

Logan roared so loudly that his throat hurt instantly as he threw himself at Reaver, both crashing off the bed painfully.


	8. Unwanted Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This had been brewing for a long time....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Logan kick? Yeah.   
> "THIS. IS. LLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGGAAAANNN!!!!"

Reaver's gun flew out of his hand on impact & the two men collided onto the floor. 

They rolled for awhile, Logan's rage making him an animal, but Reaver was use to such......close combat. Eventually Reaver managed to kick Logan off & he rolled away across the floor. 

They both paused, and stood, staring at each other & dropped into a boxing stance. 

Reaver was shorter & broader, his chest ridiculously well trimmed. He bobbed up & down, his hair bouncing as he did so. This was going to be interesting.........

Logan rolled his neck, & smiled cruelly. He had wanted to do this for years. How he wanted to smash that arrogant, decadent, monstrous twat's face in. The thought of him even touching Hecate's soft skin made him irrationally move first, stepping forward & aiming for his rival's nose. 

Reaver expertly bobbed away & reacted, bringing his fist towards Logan's stomach & the fight really began. Weaving & blocking, bobbing & taking blows, grunting but working through the pain. This was not a a play-fight, neither one you watch with professionals, this was two very strong, instinctual men trained to kill. They were not pulling punches, moving so quickly & viciously that it was an crazed dance of sorts. 

Reaver somehow was still smiling through it all; he had waited to push Logan over the edge for so long.....he hadn't had a scrap in years either.....  
Logan face was set into a snarling, raging, demonic mask.  
Both were bruised, panting & dripping with sweat.  
Reaver wiped his numb bottom lip with the back of his hand, & looked down to see blood.  
Logan was pretty sure a rib was broken.

"You twisted bastard......" He snarled as they paused, panting.  
"Me? Oh my King, was not you who drove her away....into my welcoming arms?"  
Logan wordlessly leapt across the room & landed a kick squarely into Reaver's chest, sending him crashing into a chair which splintered on impact. Logan pointed at him.  
"Stay the hell away from Hecate or I swear I will kill you myself...."

Reaver sat up & groaned throatily. That had really bloody hurt.....he turned & lashed out with his leg, knocking Logan off his feet, he was just able to break his fall with his arms but Reaver was on him in seconds. Logan pushed himself up only to be wrestled; he brought his elbow back instinctively & harshly felt it connect. Reaver fell back, a bruise instantly blooming on his cheek. 

Logan rolled over & suddenly Reaver was on him again, pinning his legs with his knees. This was more his style, less throwing punches, but pinning an unwilling person....yes, that he excelled at. Logan tried another punch to remove this idiot but Reaver caught it & held him down. 

Reaver looked down, smiling madly. Oh this is what he wanted so badly.....sitting on top of Logan, sweating & gasping for air. Logan wriggled & never stopped fighting until he felt Reaver change slightly.....he looked down horrified.

I will not repeat what Logan said, but let's just say that even Reaver, who lived with the rudest scum of the Earth for a couple of hundred years, was shocked.  
"GET THE HELL OF ME YOU PERVERSE-"  
"Calm down Logan....you'll blow something important......then again you might want me to help with that......" He winked & then waited for the renewed struggling & cursing to cease.  
"Oh really....stop being so over-protective....she's a big girl now. She can certainly handle herself...." More swearing.  
"I suppose you would like to know why I am here....besides from this....." He wiggled slightly, grinding against Logan who's eyes widened & more vile words spewed forth.  
"Quite the potty mouth aren't we? Anyhow.....if you really want to know, Hecate is still a virgin....."  
"W-what?! You.....if you're playing with me Reaver I swear I-"  
"I'm not." Reaver shook his head & said simply. 

Logan lay still for awhile.  
"Then.....why did you say that?!" Was all he could say.  
"I was curious......"  
"Curious?! What the hell of?!" Logan snapped.  
"Well......you are so loving of your sister, even though we two both know that you arn't exactly bound to her...."

Logan's eyes widened.  
"I...I don't know what your on about....."  
"You are emotional Logan, I broke your composure so no lies......don't worry, I won't tell any-one. What could I gain from that?"  
Logan lay silent, those darn emotions bubbling, adrenaline rushing, his sweat turning cold on his skin.  
"......I see a man before me Logan, neither demon as some would believe but certainly no angel." He smirked at the priceless expression on Logan's face. The man who always knew what to do, had no idea at all.  
"A man who has gone to extreme lengths to protect a woman.....who occasionally stalks her to see that she is safe." 

Of course he had been spying on him, Logan thought. Why hadn't he been more careful?  
"Despite everything.....you have surprised me Logan.....I was curious."  
There was an awkward silence as Reaver studied Logan for answers.  
"Well.......I had better get going....no doubt some-one have heard our...exertions, & the guards are on their way." Reaver's voice was suddenly all chirpy again.  
"But I should mention that I was also curious of something else...." He grinded against Logan again who was shocked out of his thoughts. "....I am pleasantly surprised by the answer...." 

Reaver laughed & flung himself out of range from the angry King who aimed a punch as he stood.  
"Tatty-bye for now then.....this has been most pleasant, we should do it again at some point..." Reaver winked & then smiled as he retrieved his gun, undid the locked bedroom door & slipped out. 

Logan sat suddenly & put his head in his hands, his stomach churning. Reaver would do nothing directly he knew.....but he would be watching Hecate & would happily play with them both. 

He ran a hand through his slicked back hair as the guards burst in oblivious that the intruder was already with a maid in a cupboard in the servant's quarters, working off his excess adrenaline. 

The guards failed to catch him again when he left so confidently, as they didn't know who they were looking for as Logan had thrown a vase at them & screamed for them to get out.


	9. Ulterior Motives

A few days later, Hecate felt confident enough to go out to a pub without being jumped by some of Logan's thugs.

She sat at the end of the bar & looked across the room to where Ben Finn was trying to woo Page in a secluded corner under the stairs & smiled. Ben was no good at sweet talking, but at the same time, that made him cute &....well, sweet really. 

Dammit.....the last thing on her mind right now should be men; she had much more to think about rather than the fact that she had never......enjoyed such things. It didn't help that every man (and woman) flung themselves at her feet. She played with the beer some stranger had sent over & heard Page giggle in the corner, though she barely heard it as her troubles fogged her mind. She glugged the brew & felt it warm her. Luckily Heroes didn't get as drunk as quickly as others.....so she'd just have to drink double the amount then. 

She finished her pint & wasn't even tipsy when the barman brought her another.   
"Same gentleman has given you a refill ma'am."   
She thanked the barman & then looked about for this admirer, though there was more money about now, this stranger was determined. She saw no-one out of place or looking her way particularly & so caught the barman's attention.   
"Uh.....the man who bought me this, where is he?"   
"On the balcony above us, the only person up there actually...." He wiped down an empty mug & then spat in it & rubbed it some more. 

Hecate froze, pint half-raised to her lips, her face a picture of shock & disgust. She put the drink back down gently & subtly spat the swill in her mouth back into the mug & left the bar to see who her pursuer was. She carried her drink & walked up the stairs, noticing Ben & Page sneak out of the pub. 

At the top of the stairs she looked around hopefully.  
She froze; she shouldn't have been surprised at all.   
Ridiculously tall hat, cocky smirk, bed-room eyes.   
Reaver. 

Her lip curled at the sight of this...unsavoury character.   
His eyes perused her & she already felt dirty merely by him looking at her. She turned wordlessly & was about to descend the stairs, but of course, Reaver had something to say.   
"Oh Princess.....I was wondering if we might talk?" 

Of course the right course of action would be to walk away, she knew that his words were poison, yet she felt compelled to reply.   
"No, go talk to the King if you're so eager......" She said coldly.   
"Actually, that's just who I wanted to speak to you about....."  
Hecate's hand tightened on the pint slightly & it groaned under her strength. Damn that man.....

She turned, walked over stiffly & sat.   
"What?" She snapped.   
"Relax....should I order more ale?" Hecate gave him a glare which rivalled Logan's, ".....or maybe not." He paused, leaving her hanging in the silence to make her uncomfortable.   
"Get to the blasted point Reaver....." 

How she sounded like her brother when angry....Reaver smiled.  
Hecate wondered how this man could smile constantly despite everything....it was most certainly sinister, if a little enviable. 

She would not have sat & started to listen to him if she had even the slightest clue to what plans whirled in the back of Reaver's despicable head.   
"After you attended my little get together, I visited your dear brother......" Hecate had no idea how he managed to get to Logan, nor did she like the tone of voice Reaver was using. 

Reaver watched the woman tapping a finger against the table irritably, not touching the drink he had sent her.   
"Happened to catch him unawares in his bed......" He watched her face; a look of disgust crossed her face & Reaver smiled. He had already seen Logan's feelings towards his sister.....now it was time to see just how the little princess felt.   
"What is the point of this Reaver?" Hecate laced her words with acid to show her intents clearly.  
"Patience my dear, patience......we talked about you briefly."

Hecate's common sense screamed for her to leave now but what if she could learn about Logan's plans? Or why he did this? Or if he still cared- she stopped the thought immediately but it was still there. She had to know & Reaver, seeing this in her faltering, edged close to her on his chair.   
"Don't want others to hear, hmm?" He whispered hotly.   
Hecate cringed but a little part of her felt a thrill. Of all the adventures she had had, this was the most scary.....she was very uncomfortable & didn't trust herself to speak so merely grunted her reply. This was stupid....  
"Well.....he got very angry when I mentioned you."   
Hecate's heart fell & tried desperately to regain composure.   
".....he seems so very protective, even now. I dare say he would punch me again if he knew what I was doing here."

Punch me again? Hecate knew there was some story there but was too busy trying not to react to the way Reaver was slyly invading her personal space. He chuckled warmly, which made Hecate go weak at the knees. Reaver was in full charm mode, eyes fixed on hers. Hecate didn't even know what was happening but there were warning bells going off in her head. 

Sadly, they were cancelled out by the warm, feeling that had flooded her body which she presumed to be the charms of Reaver.   
"He loves you, oh beautiful princess, of that I am sure. Odd under the circumstances...."  
"He is still my brother, Reaver, despite everything....." She found it difficult to think of a snarky come-back.   
"Indeed, but the question is, do you?" Reaver seemed hurried. 

Hecate hesitated & touched her head as it started to throb. Wha-? 

She started to panic as her limbs started to go numb & within a few seconds she slumped off her chair into the all-too-happy arms of Reaver who caught her & felt the thrill of having her lying across his body. Shame she hadn't told him more but things happen....

Reaver's many skills included creating various lotions & potions. 

The two drugged ales Hecate had been drinking obliviously had indeed been sent by him. 

Reaver lay her down on the table in the empty room & smiled devilishly.


	10. Quick Exits

Reaver smiled down on his victim. It had been so easy.......others had attacked her with unbeatable odds only to be utterly obliterated. Such fools.

He leant over her & watched her chest heave in & out as she breathed deeply, in a drugged slumber. He knew he should be moving now but why waste such an opportunity......? He placed a hand either side of her & pressed his legs against hers. He ran a hand up her thigh, feeling her warm flesh through her tight, practical trousers. She was so soft yet he could feel the muscle beneath it. 

He knew he shouldn't but she was helpless & he was never good at withholding himself.....there was no harm in merely......feeling her.  
Outside, Ben & Page hid in the shadows of a bridge & watched in growing horror as a patrol of guards was gathering en masse outside of the tavern. They had just left when they had seen them marching down the street; Ben had turned back for the Princess instantly but Page had dragged him away saying that it would be easier for Hecate to get away on her own, they would wait & watch if they were needed. 

A hooded figure stepped out from the formation & clearly gave orders. The figure turned & entered the pub. The two shuffled to try & see where this stranger was going through the illumined windows of the pub. Ben tensed as Page leant on his back, pressing her feminine curves to him.....his eyes widened & he froze entirely.

Page. Was. Pressing. Against. HIM.   
His knees turned to jelly & his blood thumped in his ears....& in other places.

Suddenly there was a cry from upstairs & all hell broke loose. 

The guards ran in & Ben drew his pistol & ran screaming & unthinking in after them. Page shook her head & drew her sword, running in after the fool before he got himself killed. Somehow he was already in the middle of the battle, the patrons fleeing the scene, she saw movement on the balcony but heard Ben cry out & flung herself cursing at the nearest soldier. 

Upstairs Reaver found himself feeling a tad worried. This isn't how it was meant to happen.....the plan has been foiled. And now he was in a standoff with his Dragonstomper pointing at the party-crasher's head & a pistol pointing at his own perfectly formed head.   
"........I would kill you now if I didn't need you & your damn money."  
"And you wouldn't want to ruin such a rare, beautiful face such as mine......" He stepped away from the partially undressed princess & allowed the not-so-mysterious figure to gather her up in his arms. Reaver lowered is pistol but didn't holster this in case the Princess' saviour made good his promise to kill him. 

He watched as the battle below them raged & the figure ran to the back balcony. Reaver watched with curiosity & interest as he started to awkwardly climb over the edge, trying to keep his load as safe as possible. A few beats later & there was a mild thud as they both fell. Reaver winced & wanted to run to see what had happened but he felt more compelled to escape also. He strutted to a window & leaned out of it. 

Immediately a coach rumbled up underneath him. A flame-red haired man moved from the drivers seat & opened the specially designed sun-roof as he had done a million times before for his master to escape beast, mob, or angry spouse/relative. Reaver jumped out & expertly sailed through into the carriage & landed comfortably on the padded carriage floor, which looked more like a bed the more you stared at it.

Ben & Page made good their escape with few scratches, but were down-hearted as there was no sign of the princess anywhere. They tried not to think the worst & continued the search long into the night.....

Reaver went home, thoroughly annoyed that his plans had been thwarted, & showed his discontent through the merciless beating of his favourite servant/plaything. However...the more he calmed down & thought, the more he realised this could work to his advantage. 

The princess, however, woke to find herself in a place that she thought she would never be in again.


	11. Old Haunts

Hecate's eyes opened slowly.   
The room was blurry, out of focus.   
The light was soft though, but her eyes still complained sorely. She rubbed them gently & felt thick, soft duvets over her. She was in a bed......a luxury bed. She also noticed that she was only partially dressed. 

Where the hell was she?! Wha-?!

The more she thought her blood ran cold. The last thing she remembered was Reaver smirking &......oh god. She was in a bed, she had clearly been knocked out & Reaver was involved. Sheer panic ran through her & she sat up. She had no doubt that Reaver was capable of defiling her & she looked about, terrified that she would see the smug face of that sick freak. 

Instead she saw her brother slumped in a chair next to her, snoring softly. An open book lay on the floor where it had fallen & she froze & stared at him for some time. She was not in Reaver's mansion.....though it had been re-decorated a little, she recognized it instantly; this was Mother's first house. The one she had bought when she was barely known in the world.....

Logan must have kept it; it was in good condition.......

A two story posh cottage, mother use to take them there rarely on holidays, to get away from the hustle & bustle of the castle. They use to swim in the lake.....  
She gently pushed back the covers & peered over the banister to the room below. There was signs of food being half-prepared & she felt a tug at her heart, missing the mother she barely recalled. But why was Logan here?! 

The logical thought was that he had brought her here, barely any-one else knew of its existence......but Hecate was anything but logical currently. The last time she had seen Logan, he had been forcing her to become a murderer, 10 innocent victims they were sworn to protect, or her best friend. That was the choice that had to be made. Logan's angry, sneering face still haunted her dreams, far from that teenage boy who forced her to wear pink dresses & taught her how to steal from the kitchen properly. 

What could he possibly want?!

Sudden rage boiled in her & she stormed over to his sleeping form, hand on her dagger, breathing coming out in bitter, angry gasps. She could end it now.   
She could stop everything, this madness, the horrors she had seen. She could avenge the hundreds who had died under her brother's cruel rule......

She slowly drew the curved blade, making a glassy whine as it did so.   
She just had to strike now. 

One hit. 

One hit & he would be gone. 

Her hand started to wobble, sweat poured from her & she gritted her teeth. 

This was right. 

This is what he deserves!!!!

But the boy who's smile could lighten any mood she was in was sitting in her head, loving her as much as a brother can, caring for her his entire life......

The dagger clattered to the floor & Hecate stepped away, stumbled & fell on her butt, sobs tearing from her throat & tears bursting forth.

Logan's head turned & his eyes smoothly opened. His expression did not change as he stood & walked over to her. She wept & could not meet his gaze. Was it worse to know that he would have let her killed him? That he would have pretended to sleep till he was murdered? He would let her decide her fate entirely in one moment?

He knelt down & for the first time in years hugged her, wrapping his arms around her as he had done a thousand times, pulling him protectively into his chest, tears silently sliding down his cheeks also.

Hecate clung to him, & though this was who she was intending to overthrow & kill, she had never felt more safe than in his arms.

Eventually she had no more tears to cry & he gently led her into the cosy kitchen in silence & poured her some water. She leaned on the table as Logan sat in a chair opposite & they stared at each other, face to face for the first time in far too long a time. 

Logan knew that he had to say it now. There was no other time. Things were getting complicated & he.....he didn't know if he would survive to tell the family secret which had plagued him since all those years ago on the terrace, where his mother had told him...... 

He sighed & looked at Hecate; his heart almost broke with the wariness that lurked in her eyes. The fear of him. His little Hecate was scared of him.   
"Hecate....." He prayed his voice did not waver. She said nothing but watched attentively.   
"Our mother....told me something years ago. But if I tell you, it will change everything." 

The levity in his voice scared Hecate more than any troll she had come across. Her throat closed up & so she just nodded as she took another sip of her water.   
"Only I know this.....not even Walter or Jasper know....." 

He took a deep breath & started to tell one of the many dark secrets that writhed inside of his broken heart & tore at him every day.


	12. Bittersweet Secrets

Logan could barely meet Hecate's gaze, his heart already burning with untold pain. 

"You have probably never thought of why you are different from me. I know....I...." Shame made him trail off, searching for the right word. "Changed. But you have always been better than me." 

The way he stated it, as a matter of fact rather than his opinion made Hecate stare at him feeling something she didn't want to feel for her tyrant brother; pity. She thought of something to say & suddenly he was looking at her. 

"No. Don't say anything! It's the truth. And there is a reason for it......" His face fell into a state of utter sadness that made Hecate feel sad already, without him even saying anything. 

"When mother had just become Queen, she was still adventuring and..." He paused & covered his mouth with his hand, before slicking back his hair to try & hide his emotions. "To cut a far too long & complicated story short, she found a small baby left all alone in a place no baby should be left......"   
Hecate felt a stab of worry. He could not be saying what she thought....it wasn't possible. 

"A few years later she had a little girl. Soon after the King, our "father", died due to a short & violent illness. She was left with us. She knew that if my heritage got out, I wouldn't inherit the throne." His dark eyes bored into Hecate & she stopped breathing. She felt like she had been punched in the stomach.....it wasn't possible. She slammed her glass down, nearly dropping it entirely. 

"N-No.......it's......" She sat, in shock. Logan tapped his chair arm, avoiding her gaze. He had never wanted to tell her truly.....especially now. Now she knew she wasn't even related to him. She could use as another reason to not love him......& she could use it as a reason to overthrow him. Exploit the secret. 

Logan had always felt different, like he did not quite fit. Though his mother had loved him just as he had loved Hecate, Logan had idolised her. She was a Hero, strong, authoritive, a good Queen & a lovely mother whenever she could spare the time. She had only told him before she had gone on her last adventure, where she ended up giving her life to save Albion one last time. He couldn't tell Hecate, he just couldn't. 

"......& now you have shown that you are truly your mother's daughter. You are a Hero, just like her......" He looked at her in an indifferent way. "Something I can never be." He hung his head in shame, jealousy & regret. He could never be the ruler she could be. She didn't even kill him when she had the chance. She did nothing wrong.....he could never be what she was. He covered his eyes & breathed deeply, he would NOT cry in front of her. 

Suddenly he felt a soft, warm hand over his, gently prying it away from his tear-stained face. He looked up, barely breathing. Hecate's sweet face hovered in front of him, smiling affectionately at him, her eyes wet also. 

After everything, the lies, the secrets, the deaths, she still loved him. 

She touched his face hesitantly & sunk to her knees in front of him. Her adoring eyes more mature now, but still held that unconditional love for her adopted brother that he had never seen in another's eyes. 

She crawled into his lap & he held her close, as if he could care for her now & for forever, & the politics & monsters didn't exist. 

They didn't really cry, but after a few minutes Logan kissed Hecate's forehead tenderly, lovingly. She snuggled into him & then leant back & they looked at each other as not the two young siblings from years ago, but adults now. 

Logan stared at Hecate & thoughts crept into his head that he was shocked with. He froze up, ashamed of his own thoughts & tried to stay calm. Hecate's big eyes were looking at him differently too, in that way he had seen her look at Reaver that one time. 

Her soft, pouty lips were half-open & he longed to see just what they felt like.   
Hecate had no idea what was happening, but all logic in her had long gone. Now there was just raw emotions boiling in her & before she knew it she kissed her King on the lips. 

They were slightly thin & chapped, but were soft & inviting. She ran a hand through his hair, destroying it's perfect streamlined structure & Logan had no idea where to put his hands, hovering them over her back & flexing them, not wanting to succumb to this, knowing that this was wrong in so many ways, but Hecate kept kissing him, inexperienced, but eager. 

He eventually gave in, holding her & showing her what to do. Hecate fell asleep awhile later, & Logan carried her back into the bed & sat back down in the chair, watching her snore softly. 

The next day Hecate awoke to an empty cottage & a cold breakfast waiting for her. There was no note, or anything else that sent any message at all, & she felt her heart sink. Yesterday was all a dream.......perhaps it was real, but as soon as she stepped out of that door, Logan was the man she had to overthrow again & there were hundreds of thousands of creatures & people who wanted her dead. 

She ate the breakfast Logan had cooked earlier in the day before leaving the cottage at the crack of dawn. 

She dressed herself & rested her hand on the door handle, wanting desperately to curl up into a corner of the room & wait for Logan to come back for her. Would he come back for her? 

She took a deep, calming breath before stepping out into a cruel & unfriendly world.


	13. Painful Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan regrets what he has done and his will fails him, shattering what he had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Logan's life is falling apart....ppfffttt...............it's fine. :)

Logan had never felt like this before. 

There had never been a trouble he couldn't sort with a sword, or bullet. This was.....close to how he felt after he returned form that Avo-forsaken desert......

He sat in the empty throne room, perching on the edge of the Throne he had been forced to take up, the Throne that wasn't his & probably wouldn't be very soon. He gripped the arms of the golden seat until his fingers started to hurt. 

A servant came in two hours later, scuttling nervously up the aisle, stopping & starting, unevenly breaking the oppressive silence with the pitter-patter of footsteps.  
"...uhm....." He glanced back at where many pairs of worried & concerned eyes peered through the crack between the doors. 

"My Lord....?" He stopped & stared at the absolutely still figure of his cruel King, sweat pouring out of him. He was a good servant, silent, respectable. He avoided trouble.....until he had been press-ganged into facing the man who he had seen kill unflinchingly. He was there when King Logan had walked throw the front doors at 6am, as if sleep-walking. He ignored the servants, ignored the questions of why he was dressed so, or why he was such a mess. He appeared uninjured now but....he was vacant, staring at the floor, eyes blinking occasionally.  
".......my Lord?" He repeated, hands clasped together, terrified.   
"He's lost it...." There were mutterings behind the doors. "Finally gone completely mental...." 

The poor servant's knees went weak, Logan was unpredictable at best. What if he was actually insane?!  
"M-my Lord....please......." His voice broke.   
Logan's head twitched, his eyes moved, as if focusing. He sat back in his chair, but there was still something off about him, his usual cold edge removed, something odd & totally un-Logan like replacing it.   
"Are you alright? The...the people are concerned......"  
Logan's face twisted into a disbelieving sneer.  
"....is...is there anything I can do? D-d-do you need anything?" 

Logan was silent, his face a rigid mask, brows furrowed & teeth bared in some sort of pain maybe......  
"....uh......" The servant stood, fidgeting for awhile then glanced back at the doors. He bowed & fled as quickly as a smooth, servant walk allows & disappeared. 

Logan looked up, stood calmly, & roared.   
He roared, mouth open to its fullest, fists curled, lungs vibrating, throat already being rubbed raw. 

Servants jumped & stared at each other in wonderment throughout the castle, some of the even best trained guards fidgeted uneasily & the birds in the Royal Gardens took off in a flurry of feathers & wheeled away into the perfect blue sky, screeching out their reply. 

Logan roared out all the built up anger & passion, hoping to drain it away in one single, raw moment but it did nothing. He stood limply as the noise faded to a mere, hoarse croak, arms dangly by his side. He slowly collapsed to his knees. 

His World would be consumed in Darkness in less than two years. 

His people tormented & tortured to death most likely. 

But above all of this.....the one part of his life that was clean & pure & good, the one part of his heart that had no cracks in it, the one good thing he thought he could do, he had tainted. 

Hecate. 

Hecate, the Darkness in his mind teased. 

Hecate, Hecate, Hecate, it cackled happily. 

Logan tried to stand, & managed to drag his numb body to the War room & stared down at his maptable, tears trailing off his nose & falling into the Ocean. 

She hadn't been in the cottage.  
He had run back for her, run as fast as he could. 

But he was too late. 

He had lost her.   
He had lost her again.

"Where are you?" He whispered pleadingly.


	14. Anger Management

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan has killed Swift and Hecate cannot take another friend being murdered...

Hecate shouted a blood-curdling cry & flung herself at the group of hobbes. They were once again pillaging Oakfield Windmill. Ben shot three by the time she had wiped most of them out.   
"Uhm....you alright?" He looked at her as she sliced a Hobbe's arm off.   
"Fine. Better than ever." She replied through strained teeth, slicing the Hobbe's stomach open & turned to the last one who ran away. 

It flung itself to the floor, making an obviously fake dying noise, tongue flopping out of its hideously large mouth. Hecate turned & glared at it as if it was the devil himself. Ben Finn turned, having insisted on coming along as she seemed very upset, not that she would say that she was. 

The Hobbe opened one eye to see what was happening, seeing that both human's were staring at him, he breathed out & closed his eyes again. Hecate walked over & sheathed her Katana. Ben started to walk over in alarm, what was she doing?

She knelt down & suddenly punched the Hobbe on the head. The Hobbe's eyes flung open & it flailed wildly, it recovered & lunged, its flip-top head opened revealing razor sharp discoloured teeth. Hecate grabbed it by the throat & pushed it back, bringing another crushing blow down on its head. Then again & again, a rain of super-strength blows upon the shocked creature. 

Ben watched, his unease turning to horror as Hecate didn't stop, her face creasing up in rage as she continued the onslaught. The Hobbe cried out, screaming in pain as Hecate's fist was now bruised from punching the thing's hard skull so much. 

"Stop it!!!Avo Hecate, stop!!!" Ben was terrified. The poor Hobbe wailed.   
Ben flung himself at Hecate, wrapping his arms round her, trying to restrain her. She made a short snarl & easily flung him off & kept punching the Hobbe, its screams now turning into mere whimpers.   
"ENOUGH HECATE!!!" Ben shouted at her desperately. He had never seen her so mad.

She continued for awhile longer. 

Suddenly, as she drew her swollen fist back to punch the thing again, a bullet exploded into the half-dead Hobbe's head. She looked at it vacantly, as if she was returning to her senses. She looked back at Ben who stood, pistol drawn & smoking just behind her, his pale face a mixture of worry, fear, wariness & anger. 

Hecate's eyes slowly widened as she glanced at the mercy-killed Hobbe & then back to Ben, eyes brimming. She coughed & looked at her hand.   
She started to weep. Ben went to hold her but was uncertain, so ended up resting a hand on her shoulder. 

"Hecate......Avo, what is wrong?!" Hecate sobbed & choked, trying to speak but could barely breathe, he had never seen her so entirely broken down. Eventually she hiccuped out a few words,   
"...it's....it's too much Ben, too much....I c-c-c-c....." she kept stuttering & hiccupping, "c-c-can't d-do it.....I can't...can't....." 

Ben frowned sympathetically at her.   
"You can & will, you are stronger than your brother, better too. You will lead all of the repressed to freedom." He scowled as a recent memory surfaced, of his friend & boss's death. His brutal execution. Avo, Swift did not deserve it, he was Ben's hero. Helped make him into a man, taught him everything he needed. And now he was dead. Another good man, dead.

"We will go overseas & gather allies, then we will find Logan....."

Hecate looked at him, eyes wide & shimmering. He could not understand how much his words hurt Hecate deeper than any sword could. Ben's usually jovial face was filled with unbridled anger. 

".....and we will kill him."


	15. Fire & Water

It happened so quickly. 

Too quickly. 

Logan stared out across the shimmering dark blue water that rolled and tossed with unbridled ferocity. The cold stillness of the darkening sky melded with the sea, the stars reflecting, until Logan was uncertain which was which. 

Not that it mattered. 

Nothing made sense anymore. So what if up was down and King's were thrown from their rightful place? So what if black tar dripped upwards and little sisters were lovers?  
He had got word from a patrol that Hecate, Walter, and that annoying blond, Benn Finn, had broken cover, causing mayhem through the streets. Logan had instantly ordered there arrest, but above all, that Hecate was not to be hurt on any accounts.

Guilt churned deep in his stomach. He had run from her, left her on her own again. Of course she had run to her rabble "friends". And now she was running blindly from him; straight into the only place more dangerous than where she was now. 

His own personal Hell.   
And she wouldn't stand a chance. 

He had gone there with an entire army and was nearly entirely wiped out.   
Avo stop her....please.....

He had grabbed his cloak and weapons and got as far as the front door when Reaver had appeared.   
"Sire, I wish to-"   
"Move." Logan roughly shoved him out of the way, flinging on his cloak. Reaver caught his arm, his eyes flashing dangerously.   
"My Lord.....?" It was a question, but sounded like a warning. "You seem troubled."   
"Reaver!!! I don't have bloody time for this!!!" He turned, snarling.   
"You would be safer here my Lord.....I hear the revolutionaries are on the loose....."  
"They are running away from here you idiot!!! Now release me immediately!!!" Logan was squirming inelegantly and gnashing his teeth like a trapped animal, desperate to get away.

"Logan. Stop." His hand squeezed firmly onto Logan's arm, and he spoke in a way the King had not heard before. It wasn't quite the silky tone he usually used, nor an angry one. It was just....normal; soft, but authoritive.   
Logan paused, a rare flash of uncertainty in his chocolate eyes which slowly turned to Reaver.   
"We both know that where she is going, you will need far more than just you....." He spoke with an honesty far beyond anything Reaver had used in years.  
Logan opened and closed his mouth, surely Reaver didn't know about....?!  
".....gather your troops first, at least." Reaver slowly let go of Logan's arm. Few people had had the gall to question the King, Logan paused, staring at Reaver, who was not acting at all Reaver-like. 

Logan decided that ignoring Reaver asides from business was a good idea; perhaps he spoke too soon?  
"Well? Stop gawping like a school-boy and go fetch back the pretty princess then!" Reaver shooed him.   
Perhaps not.   
Logan turned and ran from the castle.

Too late. 

Again. 

Always. 

Far, far, far too late.

He stood on the smouldering docks, after seeing his Cat leap from an explosion onto a boat, persuaded by his own ships across the inky sea.   
Then, on the burning horizon, the battle ships had started to open fire on the tiny vessel.   
"NO!!!" He had roared, "STOP!!!" He had stared in horror as the water was thrown in the air from the missiles. The small boat rocking precariously. He turned to his own guards, "I ORDERED FOR THEM NOT TO BE HARMED!!!"

He did not see the guards shrug sheepishly. 

He only saw a shot that blasted the side of the boat out, wood flying, smoke billowing; the boats floating out over the horizon. 

"HECATE!!!" He screamed, his heart breaking. 

She had been there, right there.

But she was gone, again. 

It had.....  
Just happened......  
Too quickly.


	16. Shipwrecked & Shaken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IF YOU HAVE NOT PLAYED THE GAME AND DON'T WANT SPOILERS, STOP READING.   
> STOP.   
> STOP NOW.

Hecate woke up on a beach.   
Alive, she breathed. Well, that was a start. 

Walter. 

Ben Finn.

She pushed herself up, and coughed the last of the seawater that gurgled in her throat and looked around. Her muscles hurt, her chest hurt, her head hurt, and her eyes hurt as she squinted around, looking for her missing companions. 

A gruff, famelier voice rang out nearby.   
"Ben? Ben?! Bbbeeeeeeennnnnn?!" 

Hecate forced herself up, turning to face Walter.   
"Ben's not here?" Hecate glanced about the unknown shore, what was left of their vessel lay scattered about on the sands or bobbing upon an unnaturally blue, unfamiliar sea.  
"No." Walter replied shortly, "Looks like....we didn't all make it." He paused, looking up at the sky, calming himself, "I only hope.....well; maybe he washed up some-where else, I'm sure that's it." 

He smiled reassuringly, as he had done many times before at his young ward, who stayed thoughtfully silent. How she had grown from that young slip of a girl Logan had shoved onto him. How he had had to change from the grumpy war veteran to a......he paused. He knew he was the girl's mentor, her only mentor; but he never asked how she had really felt about him.   
She hugged him, true; less so often now, in her maturity, but she cared for him a great deal, he knew. And that was enough.

Hecate, on her half, was relieved to see Walter alive & with barely a scratch on him, tough old sod. The thought of losing him.....it was ridiculous, but she had never actually thought of Walter ever...dying; or even being hurt. He was just....Walter. The always cranky but lovable Walter. He seemed immortal in her eyes, from when she was a child & heard the great stories of Walter, how wise & strong he was.   
Now she was beginning to see Walter differently. He had never had so much grey in his hair, had he? Or so many laughter wrinkles round his soft eyes? 

He wasn't immortal.   
He was all too human, & that scared Hecate more than anything because Walter.....Walter   
had been her only parent. When other kids said "Where's your daddy?", she'd say "Haven't got one...." but images of Walter always sprung to the front of her mind. Then Logan would usually kick the other child firmly up the backside for bringing up such a subject, despite her protests that the offending child didn't intend any harm.

"Anyway, the only way forward is through a rather ominous cave....." Walter turned, not giving Hecate more time to mull over the possible death of a close friend & ally, or other grim thoughts. 

Hecate followed Walter over the dunes of the beach. 

The sky here was impossibly blue, like on the best summer's day back at home.....the temperature matched it; sweat already started to make her body feel gross. The air smelt of salt &....& something else. Something...odd; new; different.  
The rock here was a sandy orange-red, not the cold gray of home, the great cliffs weren't like that of home either. They were not walls; they were monuments of madness, creating impossibly huge archways & towers. One archway up ahead clearly led underground, into a darkened cavern, which seemed enormous even from outside of it. 

Walter suddenly stopped dead in front of Heacte, turning suddenly, making her slam her brakes on.   
"Before we go any further....I just like to say one thing." Walter said rather boldly, as if starting a speech. 

"BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!" Walter roared his favourite expletive, the noise echoing & re-echoing round the cave, disturbing some bats from their rest. 

"Yeah....." Hecate thought as they continued into the cavern,in this strange land, with no supplies & missing Ben, "....that about sums it up."


	17. Meanwhile, in Albion....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What happens to Logan once the Princess disappears?   
> Whaddya think? >8C
> 
> Also introducing Bob & Stan who....randomly appeared.... 0_o

The people of Albion were scared. 

More scared than ever before. 

One man in particular was nearly scared to death. Nearly. 

Especially when the guards had kicked in his door & dragged him from his wife & three children at dinner.   
He had been thrown before the King, his heart nearly bursting from his chest. 

He had never seen Logan before, but he blood turned to ice when he gazed upon the...the thing that sat on the throne. 

There was....no life in those eyes. Just...coldness. There were virtually black circles under his tired, sunken in eyes, and his skin seemed to be drained of all colour. His shoulders were slumped, his head, dipped, as if he was a puppet that had had his strings cut.   
"Here's the man my Lord."   
The King, looked up.   
The man bowed his head.   
This peasant was wrinkled beyond his years; his hair was thin, paling, & tufty. He gripped his hands together, calloused working hands, and they trembled, the chains on his cuffs rattling.   
"....you have broken the law, which is punishable by death. I sentence you to death by-" 

"NO!!! NO PLEASE!!!" The man lurched to his feet, tears shivering down his face. Guards instantly clamped down on his arms. The King rubbed his eyes, as if he had seen this a million times.   
"Please, I beg of you!!! Please!!!" The man tried to hold his arm's out imploringly, but the guards with their impassive masks pulled him painfully still.   
"Why?" 

There was a pause and every-one in the room stared at the figure who had found some sort of strength to sit upright. He had never asked wh before, never bothered. Just in, sentanced, out again.   
"W-w..." The man stammered.   
"Why should I spare your miserable life? You stole from a wealthy estate..." 

"My family were starving....my son....he was injured in the factory so there isn't enough money for us...please....my Lord, please understand......I had no choice....please.....!!!" He burst into tears. 

Logan stared at the man, and, for once, he wasn't able to build up that wall between himself and his conscious...... 

He had to keep control of Albion.....  
"Please, my son.....!!!" 

There could be chaos.....  
"My daughters....my wife....!!!" 

The Darkness. There needs to be control, order.....  
"Who will provide for them?! Please...have mercy....!!!" 

Logan shut his eyes, trying to block out this man's desperate pleas. 

"My Lord...what do we do?" The guards voices.  
He tried to block out the noise.   
"My lord....?" 

So much death...so many sacrifices....his eyes flew open. He stared into the face of the snivelling man. He had loved ones....ones who relied on him. 

Thoughts of Hecate...his failure to save her...his....  
He stood and walked past the prisoner, shaking his head. 

"My Lord?!" His guards, his useless guards. "What do we do my Lord?!"

Logan flung open the doors, then paused, leaving his hands holding the handles with a death-grip. He fought back his tears & forced his voice to be level.   
"I don't care. Kill him, free him, tar & feather him, I DON'T CARE!!!" 

He threw open the doors with a bang which made servants gasp & scurry away.  
The prisoner tried to turn to see what was happening, his eyes wide & painful. What the hell was going on?! 

The guards looked at each other, then to the figure of their once powerful, powerful, perfectly composed King storming away down the hallway, actually flinging people out of his way. 

They looked at the prisoner, who stared back, terrified.   
"Well Bob, I told you we shouldn't have swapped Watch for prisoner duty."   
"Shutup Stan...."   
"I know it's raining but-"   
"I SAID SHUTUP STAN!.....Avo's sake...."   
"Well what are we gonna do?!"   
"Stan...just...shutup okay?! I'm trying to think!"   
"......Bob...we could just...let him go....."   
"What, & be laughed at by the others?"   
"Just...just this once Bob?"   
"....yeah, alright, get the keys." 

When the man got home he had no idea what to tell his wife & three kids.


	18. You Could Have Tried Knocking.....

"So this is what Aurora looks like then......" Walter walked through the gloom of the ominous, yet oddly pretty, cavern, "I was hoping it would be a little less.....cave-y." 

They walked on, small underground lagoons where the sea had been trapped sat still, blue & pristine but...ominous. There was no way to tell how deep they were & Cat swore she saw a random ripple in one pool. This mixed with the ever increasingly arching ceiling made this strange land seem even more alien....

"What do you think happened to Ben?" Walter's voice held that slightly witty, ever-happy tone that I knew hid his real feelings, whatever they may be. "He's a strong swimmer....probably reached some sandy beach some-where: palm trees, beautiful women, coconut cocktails....jammy bastard."   
Cat stayed silent. She knew Ben was an excellent swimmer but....he would have to have made it off the boat first. 

She remembered the shock & fear & panic as the boat suddenly lurched sideways, splinters flying, & being flung to the deck with the force of the explosion. Looking up & seeing smoke & flames engulfing the ship almost as quickly as it was sinking under the waves. There was no thought, no time to grab supplies or think of the others. She picked herself up & ran across deck, & leapt from the bow, terrified the ship would explode.   
There was no sign of the others; she had to cling to some charred flotsam 'till she passed out.  
Ben would be fine.   
Ben...had to be fine.   
He...  
She shook herself; this was no time to get emotional. She looked about the cave which was becoming more rock than sand, the lagoons had gone too, were...were they going down? It didn't seem to be on a slope but the light was dimming. 

They turned a corner & paused; stairs. 

There were...stairs in this cave. Cold, black rock stairs that had small piles of sand gathering on them. 

Walter glanced beyond the stairs...it was some sort of...man-made structure. He slowly ventured forth, Cat drawing closer to him as she followed. The ground was pavestones now....& there were great columns. Walter walked over the stone railing & gasped. Cat stared, aghast. There were huge stairs leading onto a sort of...pit, surrounded by the natural rock. In the middle was a circle of....well, she'd seen nothing like it. It was dark indigoes & purples that swirled & moved...like water but it seemed to burn at the edges.   
"What the hopping hobbes is that?! It must be protecting something....& the way out most likely." 

He led the now apprehensive princess onward, across the strange sand-covered pavement, a growing knot of uncertainty sitting in her stomach. This wasn't right....Walter looked at her & cleared his throat.   
"Well, I'll tell you one thing; we haven't come this far, haven't got this many people behind us, to end up dying in some forsaken far-off hole in the ground...." 

He led the way down the stairs boldly, nearer the strange glowing pond. His words encouraging Cat on, though the knot would not leave; still, it was comforting merely to have Walter at her side, he always knew what to say or do to make her feel stronger. As they reached the foot of the stairs Walter stopped dead again. Cat peered round him & that knot in her stomach became an anvil. 

A skeleton lay sprawled out by the purple barrier of magic.   
"Well wherever we are, we're not the only ones who got stuck in this damned place." Walter's face was grim. 

Cat stepped out & rested her hand on Walter's arm, squeezing it reassuringly. They both needed the reassurance, as they noticed that there were other skeletons laying about.   
"Not the most encouraging sight is it.....?" 

Cat shook her head & they both edges closer; looking about there was no immediate danger.   
"....still...they might have some-thing on them. Why don't you check the second lot over there?"

Walter walked over to some poor soul's bones, knelt down & started to poke about in them. Cat walked round the barrier, trying to see through it as she went, but all she could see were the swirling colours.   
Oh well....best focus at the task at hand.   
She looked at the varying remains of the bodies & saw.....parchment? Well....that's....weird.   
She picked it up & scanned it briefly.   
"I've found something! A note..." She started to read it out as Walter turned on his haunches, "It speaks to us still, Darkness incarnate, we know now we can never escape it...." 

"Well, that doesn't sound good...." Walter muttered sagely. "Hey! I've got something too!" He cried, picking up what looked like a book, "One of these poor sod's left a journal...most of the pages have disintegrated, but....well...you can still see plenty of weird symbols...." He walked over to the barrier pond, "....it's mostly gobbledegook anyway....I mean, listen to this nonsense!" He put on a grand, mystical voice, "Luminous spirits of the sands, impart daybreak & gleam under a quiet moon...urgh...what's that supp-" 

Before Walter could speak further, great beams of swirling lilac light burst straight up from the book, & the barrier, disintegrated.

Walter stared at the newly revealed flight of winding, corkscrew stairs with shock.   
"Well, look at that! Can you believe I did that?" He made a half-chuckle, then stared down. The stairs seemed never-ending, you could not even see the bottom. "Uh...it does seem rather dark....perhaps down isn't the way....."   
He looked up at Cat who shrugged. He sighed, 

"Right, Here we go then....." 

They did not notice the barrier reforming as they walked, step by step, into the pits of the Earth; straight to the Darkness; & it's children.


End file.
